


Winter Whisky

by teamfreeawesome



Series: a multitude of lifetimes [2]
Category: Original Work
Genre: First Meetings, M/M, True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-19
Updated: 2014-10-19
Packaged: 2018-02-21 20:03:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2480669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teamfreeawesome/pseuds/teamfreeawesome
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Colby meets Finn on a Thursday.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Winter Whisky

Colby meets Finn on a Thursday, snow falling softly from a grey-lit sky and settling gently in his hair. Campus looks like a stranger, buried beneath drifts of cold, bright and crunchy beneath Colby’s feet. He likes the feel of it; avoids the cleared pathways and kicks his way through the snow, knee deep and soft, before he falls; sinks deep into the cold, until he’s surrounded by a wall of white, an igloo of snow. It’s a shock, but a bright one - and he laughs, loud, carefree, and turns his face up to the air to catch new flakes on his tongue. He’s going to be late, but days like this are days that Colby feels like he can do anything, be anyone – and today, he wants to play in the snow. He’s hidden, here in this drift, and it’s cold, crisp and bright; made of everything Colby aches for.

He falls back into the wall of snow behind him and feels it sink under his weight. Arms out, he lets it fall beneath him and giggles, gloves so bright against the snow. They’re red, a present from his sister, and some day they’re the most precious things he owns. Anna had wrapped them in shiny paper that the tape wouldn’t stick to, and left it under the tree to slowly unravel. Every morning, Colby would sneak down and stick the sides back together again. Anna never told him she knew, but she knew; kissed his cheek on Christmas morning, wiped the frost from the window and smiled.

“I hope you like them,” she said, and Colby hugged them close.

“I do,” he said, and he does.

Anna’s at university, too, now, studying maths and loving it. She’d skyped him this morning with windswept hair and flushed cheeks, mouth wrapped around math terms Colby had no hope of recognising. It’s nice, talking to her. He misses her, most days.

 

//

 

He sits up when the cold starts to seep in under his clothes, nose pink with chill, and peeks above his snow hideout. Students are walking fast, scarves wrapped around faces and folders clutched tight to their chests as they make their way to class, and Colby sighs. Huffing out a breath, Colby pulls himself up, shivering slightly as his wet clothes stick closer to his body. He’s definitely late now, clock ticking slowly under his sweater sleeve, impatient. He trips down to the path, head ducked, and joins the hurried students as they head for the warmth of lectures. Colby hates the buildings on campus; they sit, imposing amongst the snow, and breathe ice down the back of his neck. He never hands things in on time, nods off, eyes slipping closed in lectures, and he’s not doing enough. It doesn’t matter that he’s trying; that he drinks coffee and works late into the night. Colby’s paying for this, and it tastes like copper slipping through his fingers, the jangled echo of coins as they tip down a drain.

He’s not here for his degree, today, though. Not directly. He’s been coaxed out by promises of hot chocolate and laughter, his flatmates pressing a leaflet into his palm as they tripped out the door.

“Promise you’ll come, Colby,” they said, earnest and hopeful.

“The guy has freckles,” Sam pushed, door half-open as snow blew past him into the hall. “I know you like those.”

“Okay,” he said. “I promise.”

 

//

 

Hot air burns against Colby’s skin as he pushes through the revolving door. It’s bronzed, green felt on the handles, and Colby traces the fuzz of it with a gloved hand. He steps into the building, the door pushing breaks of cold in behind him as it continues to turn, and shivers. His skin feels like it’s being stripped off, blistering as a tight, heavy heat crests around him in waves. Unwinding his scarf, he hisses, toes burning. The icy curl of them in his boots are set alight, thawing painfully as he heads towards the reception.

“Hi,” he offers, pulling at the straps of his rucksack nervously. “I’m looking for the lecture, uh. The speaker’s Finn, um. Carter, maybe?”

Smiling, the receptionist nods to the left.

“Down the hall, first on your right. It should have a sign outside. You’re only a minute or two late, so you should be able to sneak in the back without too much trouble.”

“Thanks,” he says, thumb tapping against the material of his bag anxiously. “Um, is it really full?”

Shaking his head, the receptionist grins.

“Nah, it’s just Finn. He’s usually just got his fans, plus his family and friends. You should be alright.”

“Thanks,” Colby says again, ducking his head as the receptionist winks.

Blushing, he turns away, the tips of his ears burning hot as the receptionist’s gaze follows him. Stepping into the hallway, Colby sighs, something nervous and heavy settling tightly in his gut as he pulls off his gloves. The lecture hall looms to his right, and he takes a deep breath, before gently pushing the door open.

 

//

 

Colby steps into the lecture hall, eyes scanning the seats for his flatmates. Letting the door shut quietly behind him, he shuffles forwards, startling at the loud cough that sounds from the front of the room.

“A latecomer,” a voice says, excited, as it floats up to where Colby’s standing. “Glorious! Prepare yourself to be bored out of your mind, poor undergraduate; I know rocks are an acquired taste. Do take a seat, and if you fall asleep I promise not to let anyone draw on your face.”

Flushing furiously, Colby slides into a seat at the back, hands shaking a dozen eyes track his progress. Sinking low in his chair, Colby tucks his chin into the collar of his sweater, eyes averted as his flatmates furiously wave their hands at him. As Colby turns, Holly emphatically winks at him, firmly ensconced in her chair three rows ahead, and Colby internally relegates her to bin duty for the next week.

“He noticed you,” she mouths, and Colby’s ears burn.

Shaking his head, he looks past her to the man shuffling his papers, tall behind the podium. Looking up, he meets Colby’s eye and grins – and Colby’s gaze catches on the spread of freckles, speckled and golden across the bridge of his nose. He’s pretty, really, hair blonde and fluffed from the snow, a wild halo of straw around his head. Colby thinks that he probably talks with his hands, too; they’re large and capable, spread clear and firm against the sides of the podium, and Colby wonders if they’re warm. If they’d hold him gently.

“Well hi,” the man starts, voice surprisingly deep, hoarse around the edges. “Lovely to see you all,” he continues, eyes roving over the audience before settling on Colby, dimples sinking deep into his cheeks. “I’m Finn Carter, and I’m here to talk about rocks.”

Colby’s mouth feels dry, and he swallows hard as Finn brushes at his hair impatiently, soft strands hanging in his eyes. He does talk with his hands; they’re expressive, emphasising his points with long, robust fingers, and Colby thinks that if he met Finn’s eyes now it would be disastrous.

Settling into his lecture, Finn strides across the small stage area, and Colby listens. He’s studying law, solid and cold, and maybe rocks are supposed to be like that too. With Finn talking about them, though, they’re not. They sound like home.

 

//

 

His flatmates accost him as soon as the lecture ends, Finn beaming out at the audience and offering tiny rock samples up for people to look at. Colby lets himself stare a moment, before turning to his flatmates and sighing. Holly grins, pulling him tight against her side and dropping a kiss to his forehead.

“Did you see him, Colbs? _God_ , his fucking hands,” she breathes, letting him go to flap at her flushed cheeks. “I just want to like. Lick him. He’s only twenty-five, you know. You do like him, don’t you?”

Colby swallows, head ducking to look at his shoes. Scuffing them against the carpet, he nods.

“He’s pretty,” he offers nervously.

“Ha!” Sam crows, fist pumping. “I knew it,” he says, gleeful as he ruffles Colby’s hair. “Now go and say hi, lover-boy.”

Balking, cheeks paling, Colby shakes his head desperately.

“I can’t just – Sam, no,” he says, leaning away from him. “What would I say? Good job on the rocks bro, but I’m only here for the freckles?”

There’s a choked noise behind him, and Holly’s eyes widen slightly. Shutting his eyes, Colby sighs, mortified, as a warm hand lands on his shoulder.

“You like them?” Finn asks, laughter in his voice. “Better than limestone, huh?”

Swallowing, Colby lets out a strangled sound, face burning hot.

“I -” he starts, tongue coming out to lick at the dry scrape of his lips. “Limestone’s interesting,” he tries, opening his eyes.

Tracing the golden length of one finger with his eyes as it lies across his shoulder, he swallows again. Finn’s nails are bitten down to the quick, dirt sitting in the creased skin of his knuckles, and Colby wants to lick at the rough skin between them.

“ _You’re_ interesting,” Finn says, squeezing his shoulder gently before letting go and turning to Sam. “I’ve got to go, Sam, bud, but thanks for coming. It means a lot. Hey,” he continues, meeting Colby’s eyes. “You’re kind of awesome, I hope you know that. I’ve got to run, but I’ll definitely,” he pauses, tongue flicking out to wet his lips, “see you around campus.”

Smiling, he nudges Sam gently, before heading towards the door – and Colby’s left with a tingling warmth across his shoulder and a burning heat in his cheeks.

It’s nice.

 

//

 

Colby meets Finn on a Thursday, and it’s only the beginning. It’s a stepping stone of discovery; sweet, warm - and less like adventure and more like coming home afterwards. Finn makes an impression, and it’s one of warmth and delight – and Colby thinks that maybe Finn is whisky. Colby’s winter whisky.

**Author's Note:**

> Cross-posted from my [Tumblr](http://teamfreeawesome.tumblr.com).


End file.
